Rockin You Tonight
by jsdhgladjsfkhg
Summary: Gabriella leaves Troy their Freshman year of college. He turns to alcohol, but when he faces losing his scholarship and being kicked off the basketball team, will he find a way to channel his depression into something constructive?
1. Prologue

**This is the prologue of my newest story. It most likely won't be as long as my others (prologue+6 chaps+epilogue), but I think you all will like it. Let me know what you think!**

* * *

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Gabriella Montez placed the phone back in the cradle and slid down the wall to the floor. She was sure she had done the right thing; or at least semi sure… Okay, maybe she wasn't sure at all, but she still felt like her world was caving in. He deserved more than what she could give him. He deserved a girl that he could take to dinner and snuggle on the couch in front of a fireplace with, not someone on the other side of the country; a girl with flexibility to work with his hectic basketball schedule, not someone busy with school and over involved in extracurricular activities. Her head was telling her she was right, but her heart was aching.

She lifted the bottle in her hand to her lips and took another swig. This wasn't fair. Children grow up listening to fairy tales and having big dreams, and then enter into the real world only for their dreams to be smashed to pieces. Then again, everyone always said life isn't fair.

Angrily, she threw the bottle across her empty bedroom and watched it shatter against the wall. She immediately cursed herself. What a stupid thing to do. She worked so hard, almost obsessively, to keep her dorm room spotless over the past couple months in order to get her full security deposit back, and now there was no chance of that with red wine all over the wall and floor. Even if she could find some magic cleaner to get it out, she had to be out in the morning so there wasn't time.

She leaned her head back and it hit the wall with a thud. Thankfully, she couldn't feel it at the moment. She closed her eyes, willing herself to fall asleep. In the morning she would have a new apartment, a new roommate, a new start for her freshman year of college, and a monster headache.


	2. Chapter 1

**Here is the first chapter. I hope you enjoy it. I tried not to make it to depressing lol**

* * *

The phone fell from Troy's hand, breaking apart as it hit the ground. He felt as if his heart had just been ripped out of his body. This couldn't be happening.

"You okay, man?" his roommate and one of his best friends, Zeke, asked.

He could barely breathe, let alone speak, so he just shook his head.

"What's wrong?"

Troy looked at Zeke almost in a daze. "She broke up with me," he stated softly.

"What?" Zeke asked; he couldn't have heard him right.

"She broke up with me," Troy said again. Tears filled his eyes as the fog in his head lifted and the truth set in. "Oh, God…"

"What?!" Zeke exclaimed. How could this be? Gabriella and Troy were like, _perfect_ together. He had never seen anyone more in love. There had to be something else going on. "Just try to stay calm. We'll get Taylor to call her in the morning and see what's going on, okay?"

Troy nodded. Gabriella had sounded different on the phone. She seemed like a completely different person than the girl he knew. Somehow he knew Taylor wasn't going to be able to fix this. He walked into the kitchen and opened the freezer. He dug through the stacks of frozen dinners and pizzas. A twisted smile appeared on his face when he found what he was looking for. He opened the bottle and lifted it to his lips, letting the dark liquid pour into his mouth and burn his throat as he swallowed. When he couldn't handle the burn anymore, he tore the bottle away from his mouth.

"Looks like we have a date tonight, Jack," he said and carried the bottle to his bedroom.

The next morning, a knock at his door woke Troy up. He groaned and pulled his pillow over his face. The room felt like it was spinning and he had a pounding headache. The door opened and in walked Zeke, Chad, Taylor and Sharpay.

"Whoa, Troy," Chad said, looking around the room. It was clear that Troy had a rough night.

"What do you want?" Troy asked from under his pillow.

"What happened in here?" Chad asked. "It looks-"

Taylor cut him off with a wave of her hand. She sat down on the bed next to Troy and gently placed a hand on his arm. "We need to talk to you," she said softly.

Troy pulled the pillow off of his face to reveal his bloodshot eyes with dark circles. It seemed as though lines had appeared on his face overnight. He definitely wasn't the same Troy his friends were used to seeing. "What?"

Taylor started cautiously, "I tried to talk to Gabriella this morning."

He looked over at the clock on his night stand. It read 11:45. "Let me guess. You can't make her change her mind. She won't take me back. Did she at least tell you why?"

She shook her head. "Troy, her phone line has been disconnected. I tried to e-mail her, but it bounced back. Her MySpace and Facebook have been deleted. She wasn't online, but I'm guessing she probably deleted her messenger names, too."

"What does that mean?"

Taylor's eyes filled with tears. "I think it means she's leaving all of us."

Troy grabbed the nearly empty Jack Daniels bottle from his night stand and quickly finished it off. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that when he opened them this nightmare would be over. When he did, his world came crashing down as he realized this was no dream; it was his life.

* * *

_Three months later_

Troy sat on his couch with a pint of Jim Beam in his hand. This is what his life had become. After only a few weeks, he couldn't handle the constant questions and worry from his friends, so he moved across town into a studio apartment. Just as he was about to take another swig, someone started pounding on his door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he muttered, stumbling towards the door. When he unlocked it, the door flung open.

"What is your deal, Troy?" Chad exclaimed as he barged in.

"What?"

"Grades were posted today. You are about to lose your scholarship, not that it matters because you're about to be kicked off the team anyways."

Troy stared blankly at him and belched.

"You're drunk, aren't you? I know you miss her, we all do, but you have to find something constructive to channel your depression into. You're drinking yourself away."

Chad turned on his heels and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Hours later, Troy lay in bed with one hand covering his eyes and the other arm hanging over the edge of the bed holding a bottle of wine. "Drinking myself away," he slurred to himself. "Yeah right. I'm alright. I have a new apartment. Find something constructive… HA! I don't miss her; not at all. That's what I have you for," he said to the bottle as he lifted it to his mouth. "The lips of a bottle… You'll never tell me goodbye."

Suddenly Troy was struck with an idea; the overwhelming need to write his thoughts down. He scrambled to find a piece of paper and writing utensil, ending up with the TV guide and a permanent marker. With his mind going a mile a minute, he began to write, hoping he would be able to read it in the morning.

The next morning, Troy woke up early with a mission on his mind. He took a quick shower and got dressed before jogging down the stairs of his apartment complex and to his car. He drove across town to the campus of the University of Albuquerque and parked in front of the admissions office. Spring semester started in only a few days. He had already registered, but now he wanted to switch a class. He needed to talk to an advisor to make sure he would still keep his scholarship and stay on the basketball team if he dropped his gym class.

After successfully changing his schedule around, he headed to the gym for basketball practice. He knew he would be the first one there, but if what Chad said about him being close to cut from the team was true, he could use the extra practice and show the coaches that he was serious about basketball. He was in the middle of a layout when he heard some of the guys come out of the locker room. The ball went swishing through the net and Chad clapped him on the back.

"I'm glad to see your head back in the game," he said.

After practice, Troy had one last stop to make. He pulled up to the bookstore and walked inside to purchase the books for his new classes; music composition 1 and theory of music 1. He drove back across town to his apartment. As he walked up the stairs, one of his neighbors was walking down with a guitar case and a box of junk.

"Where are you taking all that?" Troy asked curiously.

"To the pawn shop," the guy answered. "Why, you want some of it?"

"How much for the guitar?"

"Sixty."

"I'll give you fifty."

"Done."

Troy pulled out his wallet, gave the guy fifty dollars and took the case from his hand. Inside his apartment he opened the case, and lying on top of the guitar was a beginner's instruction book and a tuner. He sat down on the couch with a bottle of Captain Morgan, the guitar, the tuner, the instruction book, and the TV guide covered in permanent marker. "Here goes nothing…"

* * *

_Two years later_

The UA basketball team was in Tennessee and had just beaten the Vols. After they showered and changed, they stood around the locker room trying to figure out what to do.

"I don't know about you guys, but I am too pumped to go back to the hotel," Zeke said. "Let's go to a club or something!"

"In case you didn't notice, there aren't many clubs around here," Chad said. "Only about a million bars or honky tonks or whatever the hell these people call them."

"So let's go to one!" he answered.

"Are you crazy?" Chad exclaimed. "We aren't exactly the honky tonk type. Plus, they will play country all night long."

"Come on," Troy spoke up. "It can't be that bad. Plus, would it hurt to dip your toes in the local culture?"

Chad frowned at him. "People need a freaking passport to come here, man!"

Troy rolled his eyes. "There was a bar right around the corner from our hotel. We'll go there."

* * *

"See, Chad? It's not so bad," Troy said as they sat at the bar with their drinks listening to the live band play.

"I guess not, but the cowboy at the end of the bar is giving me the creeps," Chad answered.

Troy looked at the end of the bar, and sure enough there was a big cowboy lurking in the shadows facing the stage with his collar up and the brim of his hat pulled down. The cowboy looked towards him and he quickly turned back to his friends.

"See?" Chad said. "Creepy."

"Well just ignore him and try to have a good time. Let's celebrate our win with another round of shots," Troy suggested as the bartender set them up.

"Man, if I drink anymore Taylor will be able to tell when she calls and I'll never hear the end of it."

"I'm going to slow down," Zeke said. "I have a paper to write on the flight home tomorrow."

"I'm done for the night, too," one of the other guys on the team, Jake, said.

"Anyone else quitting on me?" Troy asked the handful of teammates that were left. They all shook their heads and downed their shots. "I'd hate to let all yours go to waste," he said and downed his three friends'.

Thirty minutes later, Troy was feeling pretty good. He and a few of his teammates were drunk, and even the ones who weren't had loosened up and were beginning to find themselves swaying to the music. When the band finished the song they were playing, the singer announced they were taking a break and the DJ would be doing karaoke.

"Troy!" Chad exclaimed. "You have to karaoke. For old time's sake."

"You can sing?" Jake asked.

Zeke threw his arm around Troy's shoulders. "Not only can he sing," he explained, "but he was the karaoke king at parties in high school."

"Come on, Troy! Let's hear it!"

"Alright," Troy agreed reluctantly. He walked to the stage where one of the guys in the band was organizing some music on a stand in front of the keyboard. "Can I use a guitar?" he asked. The guy gave him a questioning glance. "Just for karaoke, man." The guy nodded. Troy picked up an acoustic guitar and sat on a stool in front of a microphone. Settling his fingers on the instrument, he began to pick. After a few twangy notes, he strummed the chords and closed his eyes as he began to sing.

_I'm all right now, I've got a new place to live  
A one room apartment out on West 35th  
No, I don't miss her and I've finally moved on  
And I've found a companion that won't do me wrong_

With his eyes still closed, he continued to sing. His voice rang through the bar, raw and filled with emotion.

_Oh, the lips of a bottle, don't have to say "I love you"  
Don't have to whisper my name the tender way she used to  
Oh, I've got a new love to fill my emptiness  
From the lips of a bottle I'll steal one more kiss_

He opened his eyes to find that everyone was watching him, captivated by his voice and the song.

_I don't care if the label reads whisky or wine  
Here at my bedside well, it eases my mind  
They're just stolen moments this habit I'm on  
Heaven forgive me, I can't leave it alone_  
_Cause the lips of a bottle, don't have to say "I love you"  
Don't have to whisper my name the tender way she used to  
Hey, I've got a new love to fill my emptiness  
So from the lips of a bottle I'll steal one more kiss_

He stopped playing the guitar and sang the last line slowly, letting his voice finish the song perfectly.

_From the lips of a bottle I'll steal one more kiss_

For a moment, nobody moved; they were too stunned. Troy began to second guess himself. Why had he done that? That song held his most personal and private thought. He had and he just got up on stage and bared his soul for the world to see. What was he thinking? From the back of the room, the creepy cowboy started to clap and the rest of the bar followed suit. Troy put the guitar back on the stand and walked back to his buddies.

"I didn't know you could play guitar," Zeke said, impressed.

"Dude!" Chad exclaimed. "I didn't know you knew any country songs! What a perfect song! Almost like it was written for you."

"It was written _by_ me," Troy admitted. His friend's jaw hung open.

"You wrote a country song?"

"Well, I was trying to find something constructive to channel my emotions into, and let's just say with those lyrics, it wouldn't have made a very good rap or rock song."

"Can I talk to you alone?" a deep southern voice said from behind him.

Troy turned around to find himself staring at the creepy cowboy. "Look, I'm not sure what the problem is, but I don't want any trouble."

The cowboy lifted his hat to expose his face. He looked familiar, but Troy couldn't place it. "Ain't no trouble, man," he said. "I just want to talk to you about that song."

"Holy crap!" Jake exclaimed. "You're Toby Keith!"

Troy's eyes grew wide. He didn't watch any country music on television, but he did listen to it on the radio sometimes. The man standing before him was a country music superstar. He had his own recording studio, countless number one singles and a bunch of number one albums.

"You were in some movie my wife made me watch!" Chad said. "Do you want to use his song in a movie?" Toby gave Chad a strange look.

"You want to record my song?" Troy asked excitedly.

Toby shook his head. "I want _you_ to record your song."

* * *

**Well, how was it? That song is called "Lips of a Bottle" and it's by Blaine Larsen. It is actually a duet with him and Gretchen Wilson, but I can't stand her...**


	3. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the wait. My classes this summer are CRAZY! I ended up dropping one because it was just too much, so now I actually have some time to write. YAY! This chapter does have a sex scene in it (the only one in the story). For those of you who don't want to read it, I will bold and underline the first and last word of that part so you can easily skip it. **

* * *

Gabriella groaned as her alarm clock buzzed and threw her hand to her nightstand to silence it. Her eyes fluttered open and were greeted by sunlight streaming through the window shades. Slowly she got out of bed, stretching as she walked to her closet. She picked out some denim cutoffs and a light blue fitted t-shirt and threw them on. She went into her bathroom and quickly brushed her teeth and threw her hair into a ponytail. She walked out of her room, through the living room and into the kitchen.

"Morning, sunshine," her roommate of four years said cheerfully.

"Darlene, you are entirely too happy at seven o'clock in the morning. How can you be so… _awake_ this early in the morning?" Gabriella asked.

Darlene shrugged. "I'm just a morning person. How can you stay up so late at night?" she countered.

Gabriella smiled. "I guess I'm just a night owl." She grabbed a cereal bar out of the cupboard and threw it in her purse on the counter. Darlene looked at the clock and groaned as she reached for her keys. "Another day another dollar," Gabriella said to her.

Darlene laughed. "I'm a teacher, remember? It's more like another day another nickel."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing you love what you do then," Gabriella said.

"Thanks for the reminder," she said as she walked out the door. She taught high school and had a particularly difficult group of kids this year.

Gabriella filled her sports bottle with water and grabbed her backpack. After locking the door behind her, she walked down the stairs and into the parking lot, being greeted by the intense Florida rays of sunshine. She inwardly groaned. It was the end of November for goodness sakes; it was time to start cooling down. Sure she was used to the heat from living in Albuquerque, but not the insane humidity Florida had that made everyday feel ten degrees hotter.

Blasting the air conditioning, she drove the few blocks to the campus coffee shop. She parked her car and walked inside the shop, which was filled with students loading up on caffeine for the day ahead of them.

"Gabriella!" she heard a male voice call her name. Her eyes locked on her boyfriend of one year standing in line. She smiled and walked over to him. "Good morning, sweetheart," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

"Morning, Evan," she answered. After they got their coffee, they made their way to an empty table and sat down.

"So," Evan said, leaning back in his chair. "Are you nervous?"

Gabriella shrugged. "Not really. It's just school and I've been doing it for seventeen years now."

"Yeah, but it's your first day as a graduate student. That makes it a little different."

She shrugged again. "Not to me."

"Med school is huge. Even the best of us get intimidated, but not you. You are amazing you know that?"

She smiled. "What about you? It's your first day of your residency. Are you nervous?"

"Heck yes! This is the University of Florida, they have really high expectations. What if I don't cut it?"

"Don't be silly! It won't take them long to see how lucky they are to have you working for them. Anyone can see that you are going to make an amazing pediatrician one day. You're going to knock their socks off!"

"I hope so." He looked at his watch and sighed. "We better get going; wouldn't want to be late on our first day." They got up and headed out to the parking lot. "Do you have plans tonight?"

"Well, there's a game on tonight. Kings versus Lakers."

Evan smiled and playfully shook his head. "You and your basketball… I've never met another girl who loves it like you do."

"You know me, always got to be different."

"And I love you for it." He leaned over and kissed her quickly on the lips.

"Love you, too." She hopped in her car and headed to class.

* * *

Later that night, Gabriella sat on the couch watching the basketball game on TV. She jumped up and cheered when her team scored as Darlene walked in the front door.

"Basketball again?" she groaned.

"Yep!" Gabriella answered, not taking her eyes off the screen.

"Go figure. Who's playing this time?"

"Kings and Lakers."

"And you are rooting for?"

"Kings."

Darlene sat on the other couch with a stack of papers and red pen. "And as usual, I will be grading papers."

As it neared halftime, Gabriella became increasingly involved in the game, jumping, cheering and shouting at the players on the screen. "Go, go, go! Oh! What the hell was that? Come on, guys!" she yelled. She jumped up as one of the Kings' players stole the ball with only seconds left. "Come on, Danforth! YES!!" she exclaimed and pumped her fist in the air when he made a shot as the halftime buzzer sounded. "Way to go, Chad!"

"You are crazy, you know that?" Darlene laughed as Gabriella calmly sat back down on the couch. "Does Evan know about your crush on Mr. Up-and-coming basketball star?"

Gabriella shook her head. "I do not have a crush on him."

"You called him Chad. I'm sure your guys are on a first name basis."

"Just because I called him by his first name doesn't mean I have a crush on him," she said.

"Oh, please. You followed his team through college and now you followed him to the pros."

"I don't have a crush on him! Besides, he's married."

"Stalker much?" Darlene joked.

"Oh, come on. It's not hard to figure out. He doesn't even take his ring off to play."

Darlene shrugged and smiled. "I still think you have a crush on him. I mean, you are going crazy cheering for him in your living room."

Gabriella laughed. "I do not have a crush on him! I just want him to win on his birthday!" Her eyes widened when she realized what she said. She had never told Darlene anything about her past.

Darlene raised an eyebrow at her. "Okay, you really _are_ a stalker."

Gabriella didn't know what to say. Should she try to come up with a way to play it off? Should she let Darlene think she is a stalker? Or should she just tell the truth? She sighed. "I'm not a stalker," she said. "I just… I used to know him, that's all."

"Yeah, sure you did. And Shaquille O'Neal used to be my babysitter."

"I'm serious! I went to high school with him."

"Right. And you knew the birthdays of everyone at your school?"

"Not everyone, just my friends."

"Yeah, because jocks are friends with the smart kids. I may have been home schooled, but I teach high school, so I know how they work."

"Not only were the jocks friends with the smart kids, but his wife was a brainiac and if it weren't for me they never would have gotten together. I was the maid of honor in their wedding."

"Okay, Gabriella. Whatever you say. We all wish we were friends with someone famous."

Gabriella stood up and walked into her room, returning a few minutes later with a framed picture. She wiped the dust off and set it in Darlene's lap. "There you go."

Darlene looked at the picture. "Wow. So you really were friends with him." Gabriella nodded. "So what happened?"

Gabriella studied the picture. "Sixteen hundred miles makes people grow apart." It almost seemed like a lifetime ago that it was taken, but it had only been a little over four years. The summer after they all graduated high school, Chad and Taylor got married. They stood on the steps at the front of the church, him behind her with the long train of her extravagant dress running along the floor. The groomsmen and bridesmaids stood in similar poses beside them. At their left side were the best man and maid of honor; Troy and Gabriella. He stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist and her head resting on his chest. Both of them were beaming. That was the last time Gabriella had been truly happy. Only a few days later she had to move to Florida for college. With tears in her eyes, she got up and got a bottle of wine down from the cabinet above the refrigerator and headed to her room.

"Aren't you going to finish watching the game?" Darlene asked her, knowing that a bottle of wine meant Gabriella would be spending the rest of the night holed up in her room.

Gabriella managed a weak smile. "Just tell me who wins in the morning." Alone in her room, she pulled a large box out of her closet and set it on her bed. She opened the bottle of wine and took a swig as she sat next to the box and began to look through its contents. Hours later, the wine was gone and she lay surrounded by pictures, yearbooks, and letters from her past. She tenderly brushed her fingertips over Troy's senior picture. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but wonder where he was and what he was doing.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

_Gabriella's eyes flew open._

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

_Someone was tapping on the glass doors to her balcony. Frightened, she pulled her bed covers over her head._

_"Gabriella!" a voice whispered. _

_She pulled the covers back down again and looked at the doors confused. Stepping out of bed she tip-toed to the doors and slightly pulled the curtain back to peek out. She unlocked the door and cracked it open. "Troy? What are you doing here?" she asked. "It's like one o'clock in the morning!"_

_"Get your shoes."_

_"What?"_

_"Get your shoes. I have a surprise for you." She gave him a questioning glance. "Just do it, come on!"_

_She quickly grabbed her shoes out of her closet and stepped out onto the balcony, shutting the door quietly behind her. She climbed over the railing and down the ladder she assumed Troy brought. As soon as her feet hit the ground, a strong pair of arms wrapped around her._

_"Don't be mad," Troy whispered in her ear, "but I'm going to blindfold you." Before she had a chance to protest, a dark cloth was tied over her eyes and she was lifted off her feet. Troy carried her bridal style through the gate and down the street. Gabriella heard a car door open and Troy lowered her onto the seat. A few seconds later she heard him climb in the driver seat and start the car._

_"Where are we going?" she asked._

_"It's a surprise," he answered and began to drive. Minutes later the car slowed to a stop. "Wait here for just one second. I will be right back." He got out of the car, but quickly returned, opening her door and picking her up again. As he walked, she heard leaves and twigs crunch beneath his feet._

_"Where are we?" _

_He didn't answer; only continued to walk. Soon his footsteps became silent and he lowered her to the ground onto what felt like a blanket. He gently untied the blindfold and sat down beside her._

_Gabriella gasped at the sight in front of her. She was lying on a blanket on the perfect sandy beach of the lake. Randomly placed candles surrounded the blanket and rose petals were scattered everywhere. In the middle of the blanket were two forks and a large piece of rich double chocolate cake drizzled with white chocolate; Gabriella's favorite dessert. _

_"Troy," she said breathily. "It's beautiful! You did all of this for me?" He nodded. "Why?"_

_Troy took her hand in his and looked her in the eyes. "Because I love you, Gabriella."_

_Her heart swelled and her eyes filled with tears. Unable to speak, she leaned over and kissed him softly. _

_"I love you, too, Troy," she whispered, staring into his eyes._

_**He** reached up and placed his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her into him, his lips meeting hers with passion. Flames of desire raged through their bodies as the kiss deepened. Troy's hands found their way to the bottom of her t-shirt. He brushed lightly against her stomach as they made their way north and sent shivers down her spine. He began trailing kisses down her jaw and neck and gently brushed over her hard nipples with the tips of his thumbs. She threw her head back and moaned his name. _

_His mouth returned to hers, but their kiss broke seconds later to remove their shirts. She admired his muscular body before putting her hands on his chest and pushing him on his back. With a seductive grin, she straddled his lap and began running her tongue along his abs. _

_Troy moaned. "Girl, do you have any idea what that is doing to me?" he panted and thrust his hips so she could feel his growing erection._

_She bit her bottom lip, grinned and shrugged. "Oops?"_

_Troy flipped her over so he was on top of her. He slowly pushed her pajama pants and panties down to her ankles and she kicked them off. He ran his fingertips up her leg and kissed the inside of her thigh making her take a deep breath. He could see that she was already wet with anticipation. Just as he was about to taste her sweet juices, she pulled him up to her. She shoved his sweatpants and boxers down, exposing his manhood. _

_Troy's hand began to travel towards her center, but she stopped him. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked worried. _

_Gabriella looked deep into his eyes. "I need you," she whispered huskily. "Now."_

_Troy nodded and positioned himself at her entrance, making eye contact once more for the final okay. She nodded and he slowly pushed himself inside of her as she gasped. "I'm sorry," he apologized. Once he was completely in, he gave her a moment to adjust. When she was ready she nodded for him to continue. He began to move in and out of her, quickening his pace as he went. Their bodies twisted, riding the wave of passion together and her hips met his every thrust. Moment by moment they each came closer to the edge until ecstasy overcame her…_

**Gabriella** jolted awake to find herself hot and sweaty alone in her bedroom surrounded by old memories. She sighed and started putting all the forget-me-nots back into their box. When everything was packed away, she tucked the box safely back in the corner of her closet and walked into the bathroom. She started the shower and got undressed, cursing herself for getting caught up in her dream. What kind of a freak orgasms in their sleep, anyways? It never failed when she dreamed about _him_. Shaking all thoughts of Troy out of her mind, she stepped into the shower and let the icy water wash over her.

* * *

**There you go. I hope you all enjoyed it! Now that I actually have some time to write, the wait won't be as long for the rest. :)**


	4. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the wait, here is chapter three. Enjoy!**

* * *

Troy stepped up the stairs on the side of the stage with his guitar slung over his back as the song ended. "Excuse me," he said to the singer. "Why don't you guys take a quick break? I'll entertain for a couple minutes." The singer nodded and motioned for his band to follow him off the small stage. Troy tapped the microphone with his index finger and a high pitched noise rang through the speakers causing everyone in the room to look at him.

"Well, I guess I got your attention," he laughed. "For those of you who don't know me, I am Chad's best friend. Actually, he's more than a best friend; he's the brother I never had. We've been there for each other through thick and thin, good and bad since preschool. I was his best man and stood by his side as he made his vows on his wedding day. I couldn't imagine a more perfect couple than Chad and Taylor." He smiled at the couple across the room. "Their journey together has had its ups and downs and hasn't been easy, but they never gave up and here we all are gathered to celebrate their first five years." He motioned to the waiter and after grabbing a glass of champagne, he held it in the air. "So I'd like to make a toast. To Chad and Taylor; may you have many more years together."

Troy made an air toast towards the beaming couple and downed his champagne as the sound of clinking glass filled the room. "Being a struggling musician, I don't have a lot of money," he continued. "So I had a hard time trying to figure out what to do for you two. I'm only good at two things; basketball and music. I didn't really think Taylor would enjoy watching me kick your butt at hoops for the millionth time-"

"Yeah, you wish!" Chad yelled and everyone laughed.

Troy smiled. "So instead, I wrote you a song." He motioned for the guys in his band who were standing beside the stage to join him. On his cue, the fiddle and drums started and the guitars started a few measures later. Smiling and rocking with the beat as he strummed his guitar, he began to sing.

_Guys are playing pool, longnecks in a bucket  
Bragging about their luck with the ladies in bed  
Laughing when they ask him for all the dirty details  
He don't say nothing just starts shaking his head_

_Spoken like a man, devoted to a woman  
Not just any woman, but the love of his life  
Spoken like a man, crazy about the feeling  
He gets every evening when they turn out the light_

_Cue behind the eight, he's staring down the table  
There's a cutie across the room trying to catch his eye  
She walks across the bar with her number on a napkin  
He gives it to a buddy with a wink and a smile_

_Spoken like a man, devoted to a woman  
Not just any woman, but the love of his life  
Spoken like a man, crazy about the feeling  
He gets every evening when they turn out the light_

_He pays his tab, pulls his keys out of his pocket  
The boys say, where you going, just one more game  
Give us one good reason why you can't hang  
Turns at the door and just holds up his ring_

_Spoken like a man, devoted to a woman  
Not just any woman, but the love of his life  
Spoken like a man, crazy about the feeling  
He gets every evening when they turn out the light_

_Spoken like a man, spoken like a man  
Spoken like a man_

When the music stopped, the crowd broke out in applause. As his band left the stage, Troy handed his guitar to one of the guys and walked to the front where Chad and Taylor were waiting for him. He clapped hands with Chad and hopped off the stage to the floor.

"Wow!" Chad exclaimed. "Who knew I would actually like a country song?"

Taylor playfully smacked him on the arm. "It was great, Troy," she said sincerely. "Thank you so much. We couldn't ask for anything more special than that."

"Hey, no problem. Anything for you guys. I'm glad you liked it. Now you know what happened on all those guy nights in college."

"Excuse me," a woman said as she walked up to the trio. "Taylor, the photographer wants to talk to you."

Taylor nodded. "If you two will excuse me," she said and walked away with the woman.

A waiter walked by with a tray full of champagne and Troy took a glass for each of them. "You were great. You definitely deserve one of those country music awards," Chad said.

Troy laughed. "Like you know anything about country music. I bet you don't even know who my competition would be."

Chad shrugged. "So maybe I'm a little biased." He paused, debating whether or not to say what he was thinking. After a few moments, he gave in. "I mean it, though. You looked good up there; almost like you were having fun. You smiled. Do you know how long it's been since I've seen you smile? You looked like you are doing better."

"Then what I really deserve is an academy award."

Chad watched his best friend down a glass of champagne with sad eyes. It had been almost five years since Gabriella left him and he was still taking it like it was yesterday.

"Excuse me," said a voice over the speakers. It was the woman who fetched Taylor for the photographer. "Can I get everyone who was a part of the wedding party in the back for pictures, please?"

Troy sighed. When he realized all his old high school buddies were at the party, he figured pictures like that would be taken, but that didn't make it any easier. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize the only person missing from the wedding party was Gabriella.

Unsure of what to say, Chad gave his friend a sympathetic look. He offered his untouched glass of champagne, which Troy gladly took and downed.

Hours later, the big party was over. Only the gang from high school stayed behind to catch up with each other. Troy and Jason were finishing off the last two bottles of champagne.

* * *

"So how is your record coming, Troy?" Kelsi asked.

"Funny you should ask," Troy said slowly. As usual, he was drunk. It was sad, but his friends could hardly remember him before alcohol practically took over his life. "I just finished it." He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a CD. "I brought a copy with me just in case. Anyone want to hear it?"

"Of course, man!" Zeke exclaimed.

Troy walked over to the sound system, put the CD in and pressed play. The opening notes of the song he wrote for Chad and Taylor came on before he paused it. "That's the one I wrote for Chad and Taylor. I sang it earlier. This next song was inspired by Jason and Kelsi. Well, mainly Jason." He pushed play and let the song flow through the speakers.

_Did you really think she'd let you in with that bouquet  
Welcome you with open arms and say, it's okay  
Well, them long stemmed apologies won't work no more  
Cause she can't see the beauty just a hand full of thorns_

_And they don't grow enough roses to undo the damage done  
Clouds don't make enough raindrops  
And it's too much to expect from the sun  
You can shower her in petals but it won't change the fact  
They don't grow enough roses to get your woman back_

_Boy, looks like she finally made you understand  
Love can wilt away like the flowers in your hand  
Well, honesty might well be your saving grace  
But you won't see forgiveness in another pretty vase_

_And they don't grow enough roses to undo the damage done  
Clouds don't make enough raindrops  
And it's too much to expect from the sun  
You can shower her in petals but it won't change the fact  
They don't grow enough roses to get your woman back_

_Now, you can shower her in petals but it won't change the fact  
They don't grow enough roses to get your woman back_

The group laughed as the song came to an end. Shortly after they started freshman year in college, Jason did something that made Kelsi leave. Nobody but the two of them knew what it was, but Jason sent her ridiculous amounts of flowers until he realized it was finally over. Whatever it was that he did, it didn't get in the way of them remaining friends.

"Nice," Jason said and rolled his eyes. "The whole country is going to know what an idiot I was!"

Everyone quieted down as another song began; this one slower.

_I miss the look of surrender in your eyes  
The way your soft brown hair would fall  
I miss the power of your kiss when we made love  
But baby most of all_

_I miss my friend  
The one my heart and soul confided in  
The one I felt the safest with  
The one who knew just what to say to make me laugh again  
And let the light back in  
I miss my friend_

_I miss the colors that you brought into my life  
Your golden smile, those blue-green eyes  
I miss your gentle voice in lonely times like now  
Saying it'll be alright_

_I miss my friend  
The one my heart and soul confided in  
The one I felt the safest with  
The one who knew just what to say to make me laugh again  
And let the light back in  
I miss my friend_

_I miss those times  
I miss those nights  
I even miss the silly fights  
The making up  
The morning talks  
And those late afternoon walks_

_I miss my friend  
The one my heart and soul confided in  
The one I felt the safest with_

Nobody knew what to say. The girls had tears in their eyes and the guys shifted in their chairs. Everyone felt terrible for Troy. They knew he wasn't over Gabriella, but his pain was evident in the song and on his face when it ended.

The next song started and snapped Troy out of his trance. "This is _Lips of a Bottle_, which you've all heard. Then there are some more sad love songs," he said skipping through them, obviously not wanting to deal with the pain. He played a song inspired by one of their college buddies, Jake, then paused it. "Now this song has a little bit of everyone, but mostly Zeke, and well… you'll see what I mean."

_When you see a deer you see Bambi_

_And I see antlers up on the wall_

_When you see a lake you think picnics_

_And I see a large mouth up under that log_

_You're probably thinking that you're gonna change me_

_In some ways well maybe you might_

_Scrub me down, dress me up_

_Oh but no matter what_

_Remember I'm still a guy_

_When you see a priceless French painting_

_I see a drunk naked girl_

_You think that riding a wild bull sounds crazy_

_And I'd like to give it a whirl_

_Well love makes a man do some things he ain't proud of _

_And in weak moment I might_

_Walk your sissy dog_

_Hold your purse at the mall_

_But remember I'm still a guy_

_I'll pour out my heart_

_Hold your hand in the car_

_Write a love song that makes you cry_

_Then turn right around _

_Knock some jerk to the ground _

_'Cause he copped a feel as you walked by._

_I can hear you now talking to your friends_

_Saying, "Yeah girls he's come a long way _

_From dragging his knuckles and carrying a club _

_And building a fire in a cave."_

_But when you say a back rub means only a back rub _

_Then you swat my hand when I try_

_Well, now what can I say _

_At the end of the day_

_Honey, I'm still a guy_

_And I'll pour out my heart, hold your hand in the car,_

_Write a love song that makes you cry_

_Then turn right around knock some jerk to the ground _

_'Cause he copped a feel as you walked by_

_These days there's dudes getting facials, _

_Manicured waxed, and botoxed._

_With deep spray-on tans and creamy lotiony hands,_

_You can't grip a tackle box._

_Yeah, with all of these men lining up to get neutered._

_It's hip now to be feminized._

_I don't highlight my hair._

_I've still got a pair._

_Yeah, honey I'm still a guy._

_Oh, my eyebrows ain't plucked _

_There's a gun in my truck. _

_Oh, thank God I'm still a guy._

When the song ended the entire group burst out laughing hysterically. "Oh… My… Gosh…" Chad choked out between laughter. "Way to call Ryan out!"

"That is perfect!" Taylor exclaimed. "That fit Zeke and Sharpay perfectly. She needs to hear it. Someone should track her down and send it to her. She would flip out."

"No, thanks! I've had enough of Sharpay's wrath to last a lifetime!" Kelsi joked.

The group talked and laughed into the night. Troy told them _Lips of a Bottle_ was going to be the first single off his album and would be released in two weeks. Zeke told everyone about his goal to open his own restaurant, while Chad updated everyone on his basketball career. Jason and Kelsi both ended up back at East high; Kelsi as the drama and music teacher and Jason as the gym teacher and basketball coach. Sometime after midnight they all went back to their hotel rooms.

Troy grabbed a liquor bottle out of the mini bar and flung himself on the bed, relieved. Somehow he managed to make it through the night. It would never feel right to be around all of them again; not without Gabriella. Like every other night, thoughts of her flooded his mind. He opened the bottle and lifted it to his lips to try and drown them away.

* * *

**And I realized I forgot to give credit for the songs. "Lips of a Bottle" Blaine Larsen. "Spoken Like a Man" Blaine Larsen. "They don't grow enough roses" Blaine Larsen. "I miss my friend" Darryl Worley. "I'm still a guy" Brad Paisley.**

**Please review and let me know what you thought. **


	5. Chapter 4

**I am so sorry it has taken so long to update! Things have been crazy here, and unfortunately, real life takes priority over writing. I'm sure you understand. This was originally going to be two chapters, but it was too short that way so I condensed it into one. After this, there is one chapter and an epilogue left. I was going to wait until this weekend to post this, but then I figured everyone would be out to see HSM 3, not on the computer reading FF. I think I'm going on Sunday.. can't wait!!  
**

**Anyhoo, here it is, chapter 4 of Rockin You Tonight.

* * *

  
**

"Darlene, what should I wear tonight?" Gabriella asked her roommate as she shuffled through her closet trying to pick something out.

Darlene walked into her room and stood beside her. "What's the plan?"

"I'm not really sure. He told me to dress nicely; surprise, surprise. He wouldn't say anything else."

"Oooh! A surprise? How romantic!"

"I guess. You know I don't really like surprises, though. I have no idea what he has planned."

Darlene smirked. "I bet I have an idea. How do your nails look?" she asked grabbing Gabriella's hands to study them.

Gabriella looked at her confused. "What? They look normal. Why?"

"No reason," she said with a smile and a shrug as she turned to walk out of the room.

"You still didn't help me figure out what to wear," Gabriella reminded her.

Darlene walked back over to the closet and started rummaging through it. After a few moments she pulled out a black sleeveless rag style dress and black stilettos. She walked over to the dresser, opened the large jewelry box and pulled out a matching beaded necklace and earring set then turned back to Gabriella. "Curl your hair, pull half of it back with that pretty black clip you have, and use the moonstone Mary Kay set for your makeup."

"You're the best, you know that?" Gabriella asked.

"You're welcome," her roommate replied as she walked out of the room and shut the door behind her.

Thirty minutes later Gabriella heard a knock on the front door and knew it was Evan. She looked at the clock; 6:45. She groaned to herself. He had the annoying habit of showing up fifteen minutes early every time. She always took until the original time to get ready, hoping that he would eventually get the point and stop coming early, but she had no such luck.

"Let me guess," Darlene said poking her head into the bathroom where Gabriella was putting the finishing touches on her hair and starting her makeup. "Fifteen minutes?"

Gabriella nodded, and once her door was closed again, she sighed. Darlene had realized long ago that she was never going to be ready early, why couldn't Evan? To her, it seemed inconsiderate of her time to her for someone to say they would pick you up at seven, only to show up early every time. If you're going to be there at 6:45, why not just say you'll be there are 6:45? _Of course then he would probably show up at six thirty_, she thought and rolled her eyes. She had no idea why it bothered her so much. Maybe because if Troy said he was going to be there at seven, he was there at seven; not a minute before and not a minute after. _Oh, Troy. I guess everybody can't be as perfect as him_. With that thought she blotted her lipstick and looked in the mirror. "Perfect," she said aloud as she turned out the lights and walked over to her dresser. She picked up her purse and looked at the clock. Seven o'clock. "And right on time."

Darlene and Evan were laughing hysterically when she walked in the room. Evan glanced at her and turned back to Darlene. "So then I asked him what he learned," he said to her, still laughing. "And he said 'just because it looks like chocolate and tastes like chocolate, doesn't mean it's really chocolate'." With that they broke out into another fit of laughter.

"I'm sorry," Gabriella said, slightly annoyed. "Am I interrupting or something? I can take a little longer if you need."

"No, no!" Evan said stifling the rest of his laugh. "I was just telling her about a kid I saw today who had gotten into chocolate flavored laxatives." Darlene giggled again which caused him to let out a small chuckle. He cleared his throat and straightened his tie. "Shall we?" he asked offering his arm to her.

As usual, they went to an upscale restaurant. Evan had expensive taste. At first Gabriella really enjoyed the fancy dinners and expensive wines, but now she would give anything for burgers at the go-kart track or funnel cakes at the fair. It's not that she didn't enjoy the finer things in life; she did. But she enjoyed the simple things just as much.

Evan placed their orders, another annoying custom of his; ordering for her. When their food came out the small talk ended and they ate in near silence. She missed talking during dinner. With Troy and the gang they would talk and laugh until they nearly choked on their food. After dinner, they began to stroll down the sidewalk.

"Where are we going?" Gabriella asked, noticing they were headed the opposite direction of the car.

"A bunch of my colleagues are showing a movie at the park around the corner. I thought maybe we could check it out?" he asked, continuing to walk.

Obviously he was assuming it was okay with her, yet another thing he did that got on her nerves. They got to the park and found a place on the grass to sit and watch the movie that was being projected onto the side of a large building. It wasn't that she didn't love him, just that the newness of their fancy expensive dates had long since worn off and they were stuck in a rut of doing the same things over and over again. She did love him; at least she was pretty sure she did. He just wasn't Troy. She knew she had to stop comparing Evan to Troy, but the farther into the rut they got, the harder she found it _not_ to compare them.

Before she knew it, the movie was over and they started the obligatory schmoozing that came along with being around Evan's colleagues. They slowly made it through the crowd to the top of the small hill where his boss stood. After talking with him for a few moments, Evan turned toward everyone else and took a deep breath.

"Excuse me, everyone," he said loudly, getting their attention. "There's something I'd like to say." With all eyes on them, he turned to Gabriella. "Gabriella, you are one of the best things to ever happen to me. We've been together for almost two years now and it's been absolutely amazing."

_Oh my gosh. He is not about to do what I think he is, _she thought as her stomach started to tie itself in knots. She watched as he got down on one knee and pulled out a black velvet box. _Oh Jesus._

"Gabriella, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" he asked looking up to stare her straight in the eyes.

She gulped and looked out at the crowd anxiously awaiting her answer. _Way to put me on the spot. _What was she supposed to do? She wasn't ready to get married, or even engaged for that matter, but she couldn't very well say no in front of all those people. She turned back to him and found herself nodding because she was unable to get the word out of her mouth. Evan smiled and slid the ring onto her finger as he stood up and the crowd burst into cheers. After more schmoozing and congratulations, they finally went back to the car and he drove her home.

Lying in bed Gabriella wondered what she had gotten herself into as she fiddled with the large ring on her finger. After a few moments she took it off and placed it on the night stand before turning over and falling asleep.

* * *

Troy stood talking with a crowd of people sipping on a glass of whiskey. He knew he should be excited; after all, this was _his_ party. All the people crowded around him were here to celebrate the release of _his_ album. Yet, like every other day of his life, he couldn't help but feel the void left by Gabriella. He took a long drink and bitterly laughed to himself when he realized the liquor didn't even burn anymore. Come to think of it, he couldn't even remember the last time he felt it. He had long since grown accustom to the feeling.

"Troy," a voice said from behind him and he turned around. He found himself facing the one who got it all started. Well, that wasn't entirely true. Toby Keith had only discovered him; Gabriella was the one who started it all, sending him spiraling towards rock bottom and leading him to writing that song.

"This is Michael Jennings," Toby said, gesturing to the man standing next to him.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Jennings," Troy said extending his hand.

"You as well, Troy," he replied shaking hands. "Please, call me Michael."

"Will do. What can I do for you this evening, Michael?"

"Michael is the journalist from _Country Weekly_ I told you about. He's come for the interview," Toby informed him.

"Ahh," Troy said, only vaguely remembering hearing something about an interview. "Let's get to it then!"

"So you wrote all the songs on your album?" Michael asked.

Troy nodded. "I did."

"You have quite a wide range; from funny to sad to songs that tell a story. What was your inspiration for your songs?"

"Life," he answered simply. "Lots of them are about my friends. 'They don't grow enough roses' is about my friend Jason, 'Spoken like a man' I wrote for my best friend Chad's fifth wedding anniversary about all the nights we spent at the pool hall in college, 'I'm still a guy' and 'I don't wanna work that hard' are mainly about my friend Zeke; he dated a real high maintenance girl."

"What about 'Lips of a bottle', your current single?" Michael asked while taking notes.

Troy took a hard drink before he answered. "That, uh… That one is about me."

"And "I miss my friend'?"

"That would be me, too."

"How about-"

"If it's sad, it's me,' Troy interrupted.

"Wow, you must have been put through the ringer a few times."

"Just once. But she made it count."

"So why did you choose 'Lips of a bottle' as your first single? I've heard people say picking such a sad song as your first single wasn't a very wise choice."

Troy shrugged. "It just made sense. That song is where it all began."

"Care to elaborate?" Michael prodded.

Troy was tempted to say no. He knew the interview would be published nationwide and wasn't sure whether he wanted to let the rest of the country in. He sighed. His lyrics gave enough away, what did he have to lose? "That was the first song I ever wrote. When she left-"

"When who left?"

"The girl I wrote 'Lips of a bottle' about. When she left I was… I started drinking to get me through the days. I nearly lost my scholarship. Luckily, my best friend gave me a rude awakening. I was lying in bed, mumbling to myself and something I said set off a spark. I just had to get up and write down what was running through my mind. That song, 'Lips of a bottle', that is exactly where I was at that night. Then two years later I was at a bar in Tennessee after a game with my teammates-"

"Teammates?"

"Basketball. I played for University of Albuquerque on a full ride."

"Full ride? You must have been good." Troy shrugged. "Come on, don't be modest," Michael joked.

"I was expected to go pro; had several different offers, actually. It was a huge shock to everyone when I turned them down to move to Nashville."

"So you were in a bar with your teammates, then what?"

"Well, the band decided to take a break and one of my buddies convinced me to sing some karaoke. I borrowed a guitar from the band and sang that song. Toby Keith was actually at that bar to scope out the band, but he liked my song and the rest is history."

* * *

"Let's all hear it for Mr. Troy Bolton!" Toby Keith announced from the stage. "This man," he said, clapping a hand on Troy's back, "officially has his first number one single!"

Troy smiled as everyone in the room cheered for him. Earlier that week, 'Lips of a Bottle' had reached number one on the country charts. He couldn't be sure, but he thought it was all because of that interview. The single hadn't received much attention prior to the interview being published, but became almost an overnight hit afterwards. He now had a growing number of female fans screaming for him. Who knew that women would find his raw pain and vulnerability attractive?

"And in honor of this special event," Toby continued, "we have a special message from a friend of mine."

The lights dimmed and everyone's attention turned to the big screen hanging from the ceiling. Excitement filled the room when George Strait appeared on it. "Congratulations on your first number one, Troy!" he said. "Sorry I couldn't be there tonight, but I look forward to meeting you on tour; that is if you'd like to go." Everyone in the room gasped and the screen went black. Troy turned back to Toby with a shocked look on his face.

"So what do you say, Troy?" Toby asked. "Would you like to open for George Strait?"

"Are you kidding me? YES!"

* * *

Troy stared out the bus window at the city lights passing by. Another concert had come to an end and he found himself wide awake as the bus rolled on to the next town. He thought going on tour would be an escape; that not staying in one place for very long would keep him from thinking of her every second of every day. He was wrong. He couldn't even keep her out of his thoughts for the hour he was on stage. Nearly every night he would look into the audience and swear he saw her. It was like she was everywhere. Sometimes he would pretend it really _was_ her and would pour out his heart into the lyrics, only to remember in the end that it wasn't really her.

An upcoming concert was looming over him like a shadow. In only a few days he would be in Orlando, two short hours from where she lived the last time he talked to her. It had been plaguing him that he might possibly be within such a short distance of her. Of course it had been five years since that night; who knew where she was now. He felt his mind start to wander back to the day he found out she was leaving.

_"Mom, Troy's here!" Gabriella yelled grabbing her purse from the coat rack by the door. "We're going to lunch. Be back later!"_

_"Wait, honey," Mrs. Montez said as she walked into the room. "Did you tell him the good news?"_

_Gabriella closed her eyes, wishing her mother hadn't said that. "No, mom. Not yet," she said and closed the door behind her as she walked out._

_"What good news was your mom talking about?" Troy asked while they ate lunch on a blanket by the lake. He could tell by her reaction to her mother the news wasn't all good._

_"I, uh…" Gabriella paused, uncertain of how to break it to him. "I got a full academic scholarship."_

_"Baby, that's great! I'm so proud of you!" he said squeezing her hand. "Where to?"_

_She looked down and fiddled with her fingers. His stomach sank. That couldn't be good._

_"Gabriella?" he asked, lifting her chin to look him in the eyes. _

_"Florida," she said softly._

_Troy's hand dropped from her face. He couldn't have heard her correctly. "What?"_

_"The University of Florida," she said a little louder. "Gainesville."_

_"That's like a thousand miles away."_

_"Sixteen hundred."_

_"A thousand, sixteen hundred. It might as well be a million."_

_Tears began to silently fall down her cheeks. "I'm sorry."_

_Troy couldn't bear to see her cry. He pulled her into his arms as his own tear spilled over. "But there's still the phone and the internet," he said, trying to give them both some hope. "And breaks between semesters." When she didn't answer he squeezed her tight. Suddenly he felt like his time with her was running out._

As much as he hated to admit it, he had been right. Less than three months later he got that blasted phone call, the one that shattered his life. Feeling the need to release his thoughts, he grabbed a pad of paper and a pencil. On second thought, he'd better grab a drink, too. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Don't forget to leave me some love and let me know what you think.**


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